GFMD

Now in its ninth year, the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is the largest and most comprehensive global platform for dialogue and cooperation on international migration and development. Following the 2006 UNGA High Level Dialogue on Migration and Development (HLD) the GFMD has opened up a space for informal and voluntary dialogue among countries on current and emerging migration and development issues. Over time, its members have sought to find innovative ways of promoting a practice-related and action-oriented process.

From Brussels (2007) to Manila (2008), Athens (2009) and Puerto Vallarta (2010), more than 150 governments have taken part in the annual meetings of the GFMD, which saw Roundtable discussions around central themes proposed by the host governments. Underpinning these annual themes is the common understanding that migration is a constant phenomenon, and that through dialogue and partnerships, governments and other stakeholders can help and learn from each other in order to maximize migration’s developmental benefits while minimizing its negative impacts.

Each year, the GFMD builds upon the achievements of the previous year and introduces new means of promoting more effective dialogue and partnership between and among governments, international organizations, the civil society, and other non-governmental actors.

Thematic ad hoc Working Groups (one on Protecting and Empowering Migrants and another on Policy Coherence, Data and Research) were set up to help focus the annual GFMD agenda and assure continuity between GFMD meetings by prioritizing GFMD outcomes and fostering their implementation. The Platform for Partnerships was recently launched to serve as an online and offline tool for exchanging good practices and promoting calls for partnerships in implementing GFMD outcomes and recommendations. Innovative ways of holding roundtable discussions and dialogue between the governments and the civil society (e.g., through a common space) are also constantly being sought.

To respond to the dynamic challenges of international migration and its inter-linkages with development and other related fields, the GFMD continues to be a living process – searching for better solutions to common challenges, promoting good practices, capacity-building and knowledge, and urging governments and other stakeholders to forge partnerships and cooperation in the fields of migration and development.

New Resources

CoM Response to the SRSG’s Issue Brief #3 in Preparation for the Third Thematic Consultation on the Global Compact on Migration
This statement, drafted by the CoM Subcommittee on Follow-up to the NY Declaration in consultation with the CoM Executive Committee, was contributed to the session on “international cooperation and governance of migration” held in Geneva on 19-20 June 2017.

CoM Response to the SRSG’s Issue Brief #2 in Preparation for the Second Thematic Consultation on the Global Compact on Migration
This statement, drafted by the CoM Subcommittee on Follow-up to the NY Declaration in consultation with the CoM Executive Committee, was contributed to the session on “drivers of migration” held in New York on 22-23 May 2017.

CoM Response to the SRSG’s Issue Brief #1 in Preparation for the First Thematic Consultation on the Global Compact on Migration
This statement, drafted by the CoM Subcommittee on Follow-up to the NY Declaration in consultation with the CoM Executive Committee, was contributed to the session on xenophobia and social inclusion held in Geneva on 8-9 May 2017.

Debunking Myths to End Xenophobia
Infographic prepared by the CoM Subcommittee on Xenophobia and Social Inclusion (March 2017), available in English,Spanish, and French

Climate-Induced Displacement: How our changing climate is displacing millions from their homes and what we can do about itBrochure prepared by the CoM Subcommittee on Climate-Induced Displacement (March 2017)

The Imperative for Complementarity, Coherence, and Consistency in the Follow-up to the New York DeclarationCivil Society proposal prepared with input from ICVA, ICMC and the NGO CoM for a meeting on 2 December 2016 in Geneva with the co-facilitators of the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) to discuss modalities of the GCM negotiations.

ActNow: Civil society response and
scorecard for the UN High-level
Summit “New York Declaration
for Refugees and Migrants”Statement and scorecard drafted in consultation with the 22 members of the self-organized civil society Action Committee, co-convened by the CoM, ICMC and ICVA.

World leaders must step up efforts to conclude robust &
principled deal for refugees and migrantsStatement of Civil Society in preparation for the 19 September High-Level Summit on Refugees and Migrants